Random stuff

In no particular order:

• From 1996 to 2006, Canada’s teen pregnancy rate fell by 37 percent. The reasons? Mostly sex education and contraception. The fact that sex education and contraception are so effective at preventing unwanted pregnancies thus explains why anti–choicers and sexophobic wingnuts will be hell–bent against using these to prevent abortions.
• The IIHF has awarded the 2011 Women’s World Ice Hockey Championships to Switzerland. I’d love to be wrong, but I don’t see (at least) two unprecedented upsets in Switzerland’s future. Hence, I’m almost certain that Switzerland will join China as the only host country not to medal in this event. I should have coverage when the tournament takes place next April.
• Here in BC, the anti–HST campaign is gathering momentum. It has until the first week of July to gather the requisite number of signatures. For those who don’t know, BC is the only province in Canada to provide any sort of initiative or recall powers, although the legislation providing allowing those is rather toothless. If this petition is successful, it will be the first time either power has officially been used successfully.
• The US Congress has finally taken action and initiated a process that should end don’t ask, don’t tell. This is good. As I’ve made clear before, this is a wasteful policy that reduces the effectiveness of the US military.
• In case you’re wondering, I have no intention of starting any sort of regular “link roundup” feature. As always, posts like this one will only appear at irregular and infrequent intervals.